You Can Tell it is Spring!

It doesn't really feel like spring until a variety of birds begin to show up. A few of these stay around the whole year, but several of them migrate through. I enjoyed taking most of these out of my windows, but the hummingbird and the bluebird were at my neighbors' house.

Black Capped Chickadee enjoying our suet feeder



Black Headed Grosbeak
The California Quail have been coming around in large numbers this year.











Chestnut Backed Chickadee...if you are patient, it is fairly easy to get these little birds to eat out of your hand.
Acorn Woodpecker (my daughter Kate took this!)

Lesser Goldfinch

Cowbird











Female Downy Woodpecker (the male has bright red on its head)
Evening Grosbeak

















Gold Crowned Sparrow...I like the rain bouncing off of everything, including the bird!












Gold Finch
House Finch

















Rufous Hummingbird
Sharp Shinned Hawk (eats the other birds!!!)
















Junko



















Mourning Dove
Purple Finch

















Scrub Jay
Towhee











Western Tanager
Western BluebirdFlickerWhite Crowned Sparrow

Ukrainian Eggs

Some of my kids came home before Easter to learn how to do Ukrainian Eggs. I am fortunate that we could use one of the upstairs bedrooms for an art studio. It has wonderful lighting and accommodates many different kinds of projects.

I learned how to do these eggs a few years ago, and it was fun to share this craft with my family.

Kristin was doing some art while the rest of us made eggs.

















This picture shows a kistka (Ukrainian tool) that is used to apply wax to the eggs. It is heated and then filled with beeswax.


The wax is applied in layers. Whatever color is under the wax, that is what color will be "unmasked." The egg is sometimes dipped in 3 or 4 colors.

























Once the design has been completed, the layers of wax are removed from the egg.












Here is one completed design. The different colors show how many times the egg was dipped and wax was applied.
Paul (front right) was not very happy with the way his egg turned out. However, once the wax was removed and the egg was varnished it was transformed into a beautiful egg.











Some of these eggs were made in the past, and one was made by my first instructor. You can see how beautifully they turn out! It is a VERY fun craft that we hope to make a family tradition.

Cherry Blossoms at the State Capital

We've been in Salem for 30 years, and I've never taken the time to enjoy the cherry blossoms at the capital mall. Kate and I enjoyed a beautiful afternoon doing just that!





















































When Kate wasn't posing for me, she was talking to a "special someone" on the phone while I ran around taking pictures :-).

Marsh Wren

Kate and I recently made a trip to Ankeny Hill Wildlife Refuge just south of our home. It was one of the first sunny days of the spring. While we were there I finally captured a Marsh Wren with my camera, and the spunky little thing was singing its little heart out!

A Fun Day at the Coast With Mom, Candy and Kate!

Kate and I drove to my Mom's and had a nice visit and trip up the coast.



The "Three Graces" (one's not in the picture) between Garibaldi and Barview







The Barview Jetty has had a pretty significant "face lift."
While Kate and I were walking around in the wind at the jetty, she turned around and caught these two clowns in the car!











There are always gulls hoping for a handout.
Farther north are "Twin Rocks," near Rockaway.











We enjoyed the coast between rain showers and sun spurts.












Kate enjoyed herself after a year and a half away from the Oregon Coast!



































This little fella watched us closely while we were parked near the beach.
I opened my door and he came right up to me, obviously used to being fed.

















Kate enjoyed the beach at Manzanita.


















We had a great lunch together at the "Bread and Ocean" deli in Manzanita. My sister, Candy, and me...
Kate, Mom and Candy



Such a fun day!










Kate and her Grandma

Bird Watching Date

I am lucky to have a husband who will go bird watching with me. One Saturday we decided to drive south of Albany after getting our work done around the house and garage. My neighbor told me about a place where we could see several eagles, and sure enough there they were! We actually ran into my neighbor doing the same thing we were doing along with one of his birding buddies :).















I couldn't resist this picture.
As the evening progressed, there were other beauties to behold!

Returned Home With Honor!

We are glad to have our daughter back! She served a wonderful mission and she will always remember the people she came to love.